In U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,511, an intercept device is used for snagging a flying vehicle. The purpose of the intercept device is to hinder further flight of the flying vehicle, such as a jet aircraft.
The '511 patent shows that the intercept device can be connected to drag producing devices, such as parachutes. The parachutes decrease speed of descent of the intercepted vehicle. However, the parachutes cannot be guided to a location on the earth.
In the '511 patent, the intercept device is deployed from a missile. The missile is flown in front of the flying vehicle. The intercept device is then deployed by means of the missile. The flight path of the missile intersecting the flight path of the flying vehicle. The intercept device intersects the flight path of the flying vehicle.
The present invention is a cruise missile recovery system for capturing a flying cruise missile, and for guiding the cruise missile to a landing spot. The recovery system includes a position-stabilized suspension vehicle, a radio-controlled parafoil and an intercept device. The position stabilized suspension vehicle is connected to the radio-controlled parafoil. The radio-controlled parafoil is connected the intercept device. A drogue parachute is also connected to the radio-controlled parafoil. A homing beacon is attached to the intercept device. The cruise missile recovery system is stably positioned above a point on earth.
The position-stabilized suspension vehicle suspends the radio-controlled parafoil and the intercept device, stably, above a point on the earth. The test-type cruise missile homes in on the homing beacon that is located on the intercept device of the recovery system. The cruise missile is captured by the intercept device.
Such a position-stabilized suspension vehicle includes a position-stabilized helicopter, position-stabilized dirigible or position-stabilized balloon. The position-stabilized suspension vehicle suspends the radio-controlled parafoil and the intercept device, stably, at a location above a point on the earth. The
A homing beacon is connected onto the intercept device. The cruise missile homes in on the homing beacon that is on the intercept device. The cruise missile has hooks. The hooks snag netting of the intercept device.
The cruise missile is flown into the intercept device. The intercept device captures the cruise missile by means of the hooks that are attached to the cruise missile. The impact of the cruise missile with the intercept device pulls the intercept device and the radio-controlled parafoil away from the suspension vehicle. The parafoil completely opens as it descends to earth, after the parafoil is pulled away from the suspension vehicle. The parafoil allows the cruise missile to slowly descend toward the earth. The radio-controlled parafoil guides the cruise missile safely guided to earth. After the test-type cruise missile safely lands, the test-type cruise missile can be reloaded with rocket fuel and used again.
The parafoil is radio-controlled. The aerodynamic properties of the parafoil can be controlled be a radio transmitter, such as a radio transmitter in a plane, on a ship or on the earth. As a cruise missile descends toward the earth, the parafoil can be guided toward a landing spot on the earth, by means of the radio transmitter. The landing spot could be a landing spot on a ship, or a landing spot on land.